Born to Fly
by LittlestRedBird
Summary: "Richard?" The boys head shot up, startling Tim into losing his balance. The young acrobat moved fast, hands shooting out to grab Tim and pull him into the other boy's arms. All Tim could do was sit there and let him because even he knew, things were not going to be okay. eventual DickTim
1. Chapter 1

Tim never actually saw them fall. He heard the snap, the wire breaking and had turned his head towards the noise but he didn't see the Grayson's fall. His father had stood up with a shout, blocking Tim's view and at first he had been confused. He was going to miss Richard's move, the special one, just for him. The confusion soon turned to fear as the crunch echoed through the silent arena and then the screams had started.

Tim had jumped, big blue eyes wide as he peeked out from behind his father. The Grayson's, the mother and father, lay twisted and broken. Like the toy plane father had given him, the one he had dropped. It had crumpled up just like that. Mother had been so angry, only this time there was a big puddle of red and Richard….Where was Richard?

There was screaming and pushing as people shoved their way out of the big top. His father had grabbed his arm and was dragging Tim behind him, fighting his way through the crowd. Tim dug his feet into the ground, head swiveling back and forth as he searched for Richard. He couldn't see. He was too small and there was too many people.

Tim's eyes began to water, his chest shaking as he worried. He couldn't find Richard. He couldn't. There was a yank on his arm and a body slammed into him. His hand was pulled free from his father's grip as he hit the ground. Tim scrambled up but instead of running after his father, the boy turned and plowed back into the circus tent.

It was mostly empty, a few performers scattered around. The Grayson's were covered now, the sheet hiding their broken bodies. Some of the workers stood around them, as if guarding the fallen fliers. He darted through the shadows, careful not to be seen. If he was caught they'd take him back to his parents. He'd never find Richard.

His eyes darted around, small body shaking as he searched for the smallest Grayson. His eyes began to fill with tears of frustration. He couldn't find Richard anywhere. He bit his lip, trying to calm down. He needed to think and mother always said only the level headed could think.

Taking a deep breath, Tim calmed himself. His heart was still pounding but he could think now. He scanned the tent once more. Where would Richard be? He started to turn, only to freeze when his locked onto a ladder. A ladder that led to platform that he had last seen Richard at.

He started forward, standing in front of the ladder. It was very high up, higher than anything he had ever climbed before. Tim wiped the sweat from his hands and gripped the rung to start his way up.

He was halfway there and his hands were sweating. He was dizzy and wanted down but even more so he wanted Richard. He was almost there when he heard it. Crying, it was soft but still there.

Tim started to climb faster and soon he was at the platform. He placed small hands down and began to pull himself up. He paused as he spotted the one had had been searching for. The last Grayson was huddled at the far end of the platform, head buried in his knees as his body shook.

"Richard?"

The boys head shot up, startling Tim into losing his balance. The young acrobat moved fast, hands shooting out to grab Tim and pull him into the other boy's arms. Richard wrapped himself around Tim, burying his face into the youngers shoulder and cried.

All Tim could do was sit there and let him because even he knew things were not going to be okay


	2. Chapter 2

The older boy had firm grip on Tim preventing him from moving. He was wrapped so tightly around the younger that Tim knew he would be bruised in the morning. Tim had sat there, rubbing the sobbing boys shoulders whispering reassurances that he, himself had never heard. It seemed like hours had gone by before Richard had stopped crying and when he finally had, he had all but passed out. His slumped over form pinned Tim to the platform. Tim let out a strangled gasp as Richard's face pressed against his neck, the older boy's ragged breathing chilling his neck.

Tim had no idea what to do. He had panicked in the middle of the chaos. He had just wanted to find Richard. He didn't even know why. Now he was stuck. He was up high, away from everyone else with no way to get down. His eyes burned as tear slowly filled them. He wanted to get down but he couldn't, not with Richard like this. A stifled sob burst from his throat. Before he knew it his little body was shaking, quiet whimpers filling the air.

Richard moaned, his cheek rubbing against Tim's as he shifted. Blue eyes opening to look at the other boy. Tim bit his lip trying to stop the noise. Mother didn't like the noise and he certainly didn't want to worry Richard. Shaking hands touched his face, moving him to look into the others eyes.

"You're scared too."

Tim nodded and Richard's face crumbled even more. His eye's widened as he frantically tried to back track.

"I'm sorry. Please."

He felt himself be tugged forward, wrapped once again in Richard's arms and that's where he stayed. They sat together, huddled on that platform until eventually that Batman had come. If it had been any other day Tim would have been awed. This was the man he had seen on the T.V., that his parent's occasionally talked about but there was nothing left in him to do anything more but tilt his head. The vigilante had stood there, taking in the scene before he pulled both boy's into his arms and slowly made his way down to the ground.

Once they were on the ground everything exploded into a flurry of activity. Tim could hear his father calling out his name, Richard's arms became tighter as his father moved closer. He could hear people talking, feel them moving around him but all he could see was Richard's sad face. He felt large hands under his arms and then he in the air again.

"Tim! Thank god."

Hi face was being pressed into his father's shoulder, the man murmuring in his hair. Over his shoulder he could see Richard's slumped form, the medics and police swarming around the boy.

"Let's get you home, Tim."


End file.
